Still Have 2 Baby Canine Teeth. Will Permanent Ones Replace Them if I Got Them Removed?

Question

I am 18 and i still have my 2 canine baby teeth my left adult canine tooth is slightly showing above my baby tooth but my right one is not. Im scared that if i get my baby canine teeth removed that the permanent ones won't come down, especially the right one. What risks am I taking if I do not get them removed?

Mauricio C. Tijerino, DMD · Answer

If you are 18, chances are that the adult canines are stuck and will not come down. You should see an orthodontist and have an X-ray taken to evaluate the position. The only way to bring them down may be with braces. I would do this now because the longer you wait the more difficult it will be to do.

	Also, your baby canines were designed by mother nature to last about 10 years. Their roots are much smaller and the  enamel is much thinner. So eventually they will be lost and by then it may be too late to bring down you adult canines. You will then have to have a big surgery to get them removed and replaced with implants. Much more expensive and invasive.

	Hope this helps

	Dr. T

Jay Neuhaus, DDS · Answer

Your dentist might be able to predict from your X-rays and position if tghe permanent canines will automatically erupt after extracting the baby teeth. Most likely they will not on their own, or they already would have pushed the baby teeth out of the way. They might need some orthodontic intervention to help them erupt. The risk of leaving them where they are depends on how close they are to other roots and what potential damage they can do to those other teeth.

Steve Carstensen, DDS · Answer

When the adult canine teeth don't come in right, it is usually because the jaw didn't grow big enough to make room for all the teeth.  At 18, you still may have a chance to help correct that and make room not only for teeth but for your tongue and breathing as well.

	Just getting the baby teeth out of there won't solve the problem - something prevented the natural course of things so that has to be found and fixed.  The danger in waiting is kind of technical:  the roots of the adult teeth take time to completely form but once they do the teeth don't really move all that much.  If you wait too long, even orthodontics (braces) won't be able to move the teeth and treatment gets really complicated and expensive.

	The best thing for you is to see an orthodontist right away and discover why those teeth didn't erupt correctly, and investigate what treatment options you have now. This is important for many reasons for you to have a comfortable, healthy and good-looking smile for the rest of your life - maybe 90 years!  Don't delay finding out about treatment choices!

Still Have 2 Baby Canine Teeth. Will Permanent Ones Replace Them if I Got Them Removed?

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Still Have 2 Baby Canine Teeth. Will Permanent Ones Replace Them if I Got Them Removed?

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